North Okanagan’s top cop taking over Vancouver Island division

After five years running the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP detachment, Supt. Shawna Baher will be taking over the RCMP’s Island Division in February.

Following her latest crime statistics update to Vernon city council yesterday, Nov. 27, Baher announced that she has accepted the job on Vancouver Island and will become chief superintendent of that division.

The Vernon North Okanagan division stretches from Coldstream to Mable Lake, Falkland and Monte Lake to Lumby and Cherryville.

Baher’s new territory includes most of Vancouver Island, except four Greater Victoria communities that have municipal forces, and the northern Sunshine Coast.

It encompasses 26 detachments serving a population of about 750,000 residents.

Baher took on the role of superintendent for the Vernon North Okanagan detachment in the fall of 2018.

READ MORE: North Okanagan's new top cop on crime, community and why police can't do it all on their own

This is not likely to be the end of Baher’s time in Vernon.

“I will not be 100% leaving,” she told council. “I will make plans to come back to the city and retire when I do so. It’s played that big of an impact on my family.”

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